Mashal Khan's father satisfied with ATC verdict in lynching case

PESHAWAR: The father of late Mashal Khan expressed satisfaction over the verdict given by an anti-terrorism court on Thursday, awarding life imprisonment to two convicts, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) councilor Arif Khan in the lynching case.

The ATC, however, acquitted two other accused, including Sabir and Izhar for want of evidence in the Mashal Khan lynching case.

Mashal’s father, Iqbal Khan, expressed gratitude on the pronouncement of the decision which was scheduled to be announced on March 16 but was delayed until March 21 for some unknown reason.

“I am satisfied with the sentence handed out to the convicts. However, I will consult with my lawyers about the acquittal of others,” he said.

“We will challenge the judgement related to acquittal in the high court,” Khan added.

Mashal Khan, 23, a student of Mass Communications at Mardan’s Abdul Wali Khan University, was beaten and shot to death by an unruly mob on April 13, 2017, after being accused of blasphemy.

A total of 61 suspects were nominated in the first information report, out of these, 57 were sentenced by an ATC on February 7, 2018. The four suspects that had been on the run surrendered themselves to the court of law in June, 2018.

ATC-3 Judge Mahmoodul Hassan Khattak tried the accused and reserved verdict earlier this week after both prosecution and defence sides finished their arguments.